‘This is Halloween’ hits the big screen

Wednesday

Oct 11, 2017 at 9:56 PMOct 11, 2017 at 9:56 PM

While Salem may be the first place that locals think of when they think Halloween, The Cape Ann Cinema and Stage (21 Main St. in Gloucester) is launching a month’s worth of scary movies on Oct. 6 as an alternative to the hubbub of the Witch City.

The CACS’s "This Is Halloween!" runs four weekends, and features films classic and new, a couple of behind-the-scenes documentaries, plus a local horror celeb and a trivia contest on the night before Halloween.

The lineup for "This Is Halloween!" is as follows:

Friday, Oct. 6 at 10 p.m. – "Night of the Living Dead"

Experience for the first time all over again the late George Romero’s 1968 zombie masterpiece that has defined the genre for the last half-century.

Saturday, Oct. 7 and Saturday, Oct. 21 at 10 p.m. – "Halloween"

Often imitated, never duplicated, John Carpenter’s low-budget 1978 slasher film is legendary for all the right reasons. Featuring a newly-recorded interview with Carpenter.

Friday, Oct. 13 at 10 p.m. – "Just Desserts: The Making of ‘Creepshow’"

Go behind the scenes when George Romero, Stephen King, and makeup master Tom Savini teamed for a quintet of memorable horror tales, based on the scandalous EC Comics from the 1950s. Followed by a screening of "Creepshow."

Saturday, Oct. 14 at 10 p.m. – "Re-Animator Resurrectus"

Everything you ever wanted to know about Stuart Gordon’s unforgettable 1985 adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s ghoulish tale is in this tight documentary from Perry Martin. Followed by a screening of "Re-Animator."

Friday, Oct. 20 at 10 p.m. – "Re-Animator"

Dr. Herbert West has a good head on his shoulders ... and another one in the tray on his desk! One of the scariest (and funniest) horror films of the 1980s.

Friday, Oct. 27 and Sat. Oct. 28 at 10 p.m. – "Tragedy Girls"

It’s "Clueless" meets "Scream" in a pitch-perfect homage to both the high school and horror genres. From comedian and producer Craig Robinson, star of the new TV series "Ghosted."

Monday, Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. – "C.H.U.D."

The late John Heard stars in this 1984 cult favorite about cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers, written by Gloucester’s own Shep Abbott, who will present the film and host a Q&A after. An ‘80s horror movie trivia contest, in which guests answer questions on the screen with their smartphones to win prizes, will take place before the film.

"I have nothing against Salem," explains Rob Newton, Cape Ann Cinema and Stage’s creative director, "as one of my favorite movie theaters is there, but I’d rather stay away from the body-to-body bustle until it’s over on Nov. 1. Gloucester is a good place to do that."

Tickets for all "This Is Halloween!" features are $11.50 adults, $10 students and seniors, and $8.50 for Cinema Members, and are available in advance at www.CapeAnnCinema.com or at the Cinema.

The Cape Ann Cinema and Stage is a living-room-style community cinema in Gloucester’s historic West End, and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Learn more about the Cinema at www.CapeAnnCinema.com.